{"id":11318,"date":"2022-10-02T09:30:51","date_gmt":"2022-10-02T13:30:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/millheiser.com\/hokeyblog\/?p=11318"},"modified":"2022-10-27T16:39:32","modified_gmt":"2022-10-27T20:39:32","slug":"buttkickin-halloween-songs-dinner-with-drac-pt-1-john-zacherle-1958","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/millheiser.com\/hokeyblog\/2022\/10\/02\/buttkickin-halloween-songs-dinner-with-drac-pt-1-john-zacherle-1958\/","title":{"rendered":"Buttkickin’ Halloween Songs: “Dinner With Drac Pt.1” — John Zacherle (1958)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"ByA dinner was served for three<\/em>
At Dracula’s house by the sea<\/em>
The hors d’oeurves were fine<\/em>
But I choked on my wine<\/em>
When I learned that the main course was me!<\/em><\/p>\n

The waitress a vampire named Perkins<\/em>
Was so very fond of small gherkins<\/em>
While she served the tea, she ate 43<\/em>
Which pickled her internal workins!<\/em><\/p>\n

Three things to know about our annual Buttkickin’ Halloween Songs:<\/em><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Our first song of the year is always a rockin’ barnstomer.<\/li>\n
  2. Our final song of the year is always a big epic closer.<\/li>\n
  3. Our second song of the year — like our selection today — is always a novelty number!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Which brings us to Dinner With Drac Pt. 1<\/strong>, a wondrously kitschy 1958 novelty from horror legend John Zacherle \/ Zacherley \/ Roland… listen the guy went by many names, and for northeastern types he was worshipped by horror fans and film geeks alike for his late-night syndicated horror movie show Shock Theater<\/em>.<\/p>\n

    I was a kid of South Florida of the 70s and 80s, so Shock Theater <\/em>never registered here. However we got plenty of horror thrills with the like of Creature Features, Chiller Theatre<\/em>, and especially my beloved Nite Owl Movies with Big Wilson<\/em>. Lemme tell you, when you’re a lifelong insomniac, staying up to watch movies with Big Wilson was always a joy for this kid.<\/p>\n

    But I digress. Dinner With Drac Pt. 1<\/strong> is old-school Halloween horror camp: mono, dated, scratchy, ridiculous, silly, and great fun. Zacherle is in full goofy\/creepy effect here: over-the-top and going for the yuks while still bringing some boppin 50s swing. As for subject matter: it’s uh, dinner at Dracula’s house. That’s it. Lots of rhymes and puns and family-friendly fun.<\/p>\n

    We’re in full Ed Wood territory, and damn isn’t that just what Halloween’s for? Spook and swing, dinner guests! Goodnight whatever you are!<\/p>\n

    Dracula old friend<\/em>
    How are things in Transylvania<\/em>
    For dessert there was batwing confetti<\/em>
    And the veins of a mummy named Betty<\/em>
    I first frowned upon it<\/em>
    But with ketchup on it<\/em>
    It tasted very much like spaghetti!<\/em><\/p>\n